Astronaut Answers Everything You Wanted To Know About Going Into Space

Ron Garan is a U.S. astronaut who spent six months in space and came home earlier this year.

One of the first things he did was log on to Reddit and answer any questions people had about his time in space.

From the emotional and physical affects of being up there to how he managed alone time, Garan answered every question about being in space those of us bound to Earth might have.

We’ve collected the best of Garan’s Q&A plus images taken by Garan during his time in space and shared on his Google + profile.

Q: What emotional and physical effects did space have on you?

A: Really not much at all. We are really busy up there so boredom is not an issue. We do miss our families but we are able to stay connected and because of our physical counter measures (exercise) I had no bone or muscle loss after almost six months in space

Q: Did you walk funny or have trouble balancing when you got back from space?

A: No the moment I returned to Earth my brain reset to account for gravity. On my first flight however it took much longer to adjust to being back on Earth (even though my first flight was only two weeks and the second one was almost six months).

Q: What was the first thing you did when you got back to Earth?

Q: What does it take to be an astronaut?

A: We have astronauts from many walks of life (pilots, scientists, engineers, teachers, doctors, veterinarians, etc.) They all have some background in a technological field and at least a master's degree.

Q: What DON'T you miss about Earth or it's inhabitants?

A: It was sad to look at the indescribable beauty of the planet we have been given while thinking about the unfortunate realities of life on our planet for a significant number of her inhabitants (those that don't have clean water to drink, food to eat and the poverty and conflict that exists). It really is a sobering contradiction.

Q: Were you able to call your family and friends from space?

Q: Is it possible to live off the land on Mars or even the moon?

A: Yes there's O2 and water (ice) on the Moon which can be made into rocket fuel for a trip to Mars. There's also many other useful materials (platinum which can be used as a catalyst in fuel cells and an ample supply of solar energy).

Q: How its like taking a shower and using the bathroom in space?

A: We actually don't have a shower on the space station we basically take sponge baths. We do have 2 toilets onboard. Urine flows through a funnel to recycling equipment (turning yesterday's coffee into today's) solid waste is pulled away from the body via air flow in the commode.

Q: Do you think that having a permanent human colony on Mars is a worthy goal for NASA?

A: I'm honestly not sure what I think of the one-way trip that would be quite a sacrifice. I think we should go to Mars someday but only after we colonize the Moon and use the resources and energy that's there not only for the betterment of all of humanity but also to help us get to Mars. Top challenges of a Mars mission will be the propulsion and radiation shielding.

Q: What do you think is in our near future in space and how do you feel about the private space industry?

A: Thanks - My hope is that we develop a transportation system between the Earth and the Moon, establish a permanent human presence on the Moon (for the betterment of all of humanity) and turn operations in low Earth orbit over to commercial entities. I also hope that someday soon flying in space is as common place as flying on an airline and many more people can experience the 'Orbital Perspective.'